Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
In a crane or the like, the combination comprising an extensible boom having at least two sections that include a fixed base section and a movable tip section, means for extending the tip section relative to the base section, means for pinning said boom sections together to resist bending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the boom in a generally vertical plane and to resist compression axially of the boom, a boom pendant connected to the distal end of the tip section, means for maintaining slack in the boom pendant while the tip section is being extended, means for tensioning the boom pendant to support the distal end of the boom when the boom sections are pinned together for supporting loads with the boom, said boom pendant slack maintaining means including a pendant storage drum about which a portion of the boom pendant is wrapped and a hydraulic motor that pays out the boom pendant only in response to a given pressure, said pendant storage drum being located at the proximate end of the base section, and a live mast assembly being connected to the proximate end of the base section for pivotal movement upwardly of the boom about a horizontal axis, said live mast assembly supporting the boom pendant between the distal end of the tip section and the pendant storage drum.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
In a crane or the like, the combination comprising an extensible boom having at least two sections that include a fixed base section and a movable tip section, means for extending the tip section relative to the base section, means for pinning said boom sections together to resist bending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the boom in a generally vertical plane and to resist compression axially of the boom, a boom pendant connected to the distal end of the tip section, means for maintaining slack in the boom pendant while the tip section is being extended, means for tensioning the boom pendant to support the distal end of the boom when the boom sections are pinned together for supporting loads with the boom, said boom pendant slack maintaining means including a pendant storage drum about which a portion of the boom pendant is wrapped and a hydraulic motor that pays out the boom pendant only in response to a given pressure, said pendant storage drum being located at the proximate end of the base section, and a live mast assembly being connected to the proximate end of the base section for pivotal movement upwardly of the boom about a horizontal axis, said live mast assembly supporting the boom pendant between the distal end of the tip section and the pendant storage drum.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The combination described in claim 1 which further includes a boom carrying rope connected to the distal end of the base section for supporting the base section as the boom is being extended or retracted, said boom carrying rope being supported by the live mast assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination described in claim 2 which further includes a boom carrying rope slackening and tensioning mechanism mounted on the live mast assembly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
The combination described in claim 3 wherein said boom carrying rope slackening and tensioning mechanism includes a hydraulic cylinder with an actuator arm for engaging a bight of the boom carrying rope on the opposite side of the live mast assembly from the reach of the boom carrying rope that extends from the live mast assembly to the distal end of the base section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination described in claim 4 wherein said hydraulic cylinder is connected to the live mast assembly and extends substantially parallel therewith.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination described in claim 5 which further includes a boom hoist for changing the boom angle independently of the boom pendant and the boom carrying rope, said boom hoist being connected to the live mast assembly.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
226 words
In a crane or the like, the combination comprising a machinery platform; an extensible boom having a base end pivotally connected to the machinery platform for rotation about a horizontal axis, a tip end opposite the base end, and at least two sections in longitudinal telescopic relationship with each other; means for extending the tip section relative to the base section; means for pinning said boom sections together to resist bending in a generally vertical plane transversely of the longitudinal axis of the boom and to resist compression axially of the boom; a live mast assembly being connected to the base end of the boom for pivoting upwardly from the boom about a horizontal axis; a boom hoist being connected to the live mast assembly for elevating the live mast assembly and the boom; a boom pendant being connected to the distal end of the tip section and extending over the live mast assembly to the base end of the boom; a boom pendant storage drum being located at the base end of the boom for receiving one end of the boom pendant; a boom carrying rope being connected to the distal end of the base section and extending over the live mast assembly; and a boom carrying rope slackening and tensioning mechanism being mounted on the live mast assembly for engaging the boom carrying rope.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
226 words
In a crane or the like, the combination comprising a machinery platform; an extensible boom having a base end pivotally connected to the machinery platform for rotation about a horizontal axis, a tip end opposite the base end, and at least two sections in longitudinal telescopic relationship with each other; means for extending the tip section relative to the base section; means for pinning said boom sections together to resist bending in a generally vertical plane transversely of the longitudinal axis of the boom and to resist compression axially of the boom; a live mast assembly being connected to the base end of the boom for pivoting upwardly from the boom about a horizontal axis; a boom hoist being connected to the live mast assembly for elevating the live mast assembly and the boom; a boom pendant being connected to the distal end of the tip section and extending over the live mast assembly to the base end of the boom; a boom pendant storage drum being located at the base end of the boom for receiving one end of the boom pendant; a boom carrying rope being connected to the distal end of the base section and extending over the live mast assembly; and a boom carrying rope slackening and tensioning mechanism being mounted on the live mast assembly for engaging the boom carrying rope.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
217 words
In a crane or the like, the combination comprising an extensible boom having at least two sections that include a fixed base section and a movable tip section, means for extending the tip section relative to the base section, means for pinning said boom sections together to resist bending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the boom in a generally vertical plane and to resist compression axially of the boom, a boom pendant connected to the distal end of the tip section, means for maintaining slack in the boom pendant while the tip section is being extended, means for tensioning the boom pendant to support the distal end of the boom when the boom sections are pinned together for supporting loads with the boom, a boom carrying rope connected to the distal end of the base section for supporting the base section as the boom is being extended or retracted, means for slackening the boom carrying rope when the boom pendant is tensioned to support the distal end of the boom, said means for slackening the boom carrying rope and said means for tensioning the boom pendant being operable simultaneously in response to a single control, and a boom hoist rope for raising and lowering the boom independently of the boom pendant and the boom carrying rope.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
217 words
In a crane or the like, the combination comprising an extensible boom having at least two sections that include a fixed base section and a movable tip section, means for extending the tip section relative to the base section, means for pinning said boom sections together to resist bending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the boom in a generally vertical plane and to resist compression axially of the boom, a boom pendant connected to the distal end of the tip section, means for maintaining slack in the boom pendant while the tip section is being extended, means for tensioning the boom pendant to support the distal end of the boom when the boom sections are pinned together for supporting loads with the boom, a boom carrying rope connected to the distal end of the base section for supporting the base section as the boom is being extended or retracted, means for slackening the boom carrying rope when the boom pendant is tensioned to support the distal end of the boom, said means for slackening the boom carrying rope and said means for tensioning the boom pendant being operable simultaneously in response to a single control, and a boom hoist rope for raising and lowering the boom independently of the boom pendant and the boom carrying rope.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination described in claim 8 further including pin position indicator flags that are mounted at more readily visible locations than the boom section pinning means to indicate whether or not the boom sections are pinned together.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
The combination described in claim 9 wherein said pin position indicator flags are mounted for pivotal movement between a plurality of positions, said boom section pinning means including hydraulic cylinders with piston rods, and flexible control cables operably connecting the piston rods with the pin position indictor flags to move the flags in response to movement of the piston rods.